


even if you pretend it's not (boy, i know you know)

by sugafreepotato



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M, Student Council, mark's doting brother is taeyong, src president!mark, src secretary!donghyuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 18:05:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11109987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugafreepotato/pseuds/sugafreepotato
Summary: As much as he appreciated getting complimented, Mark feels quite puzzled as to why someone would declare their opinion of him on a cubicle wall in one of the worst toilets in the campus.It’s frankly even more absurd because he swears he’s seen that handwriting before, the purposeful tilts and curves and the loops are too familiar to be true, he thinks.





	even if you pretend it's not (boy, i know you know)

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday, donghyuck! i hope you have a wonderful 17th birthday and equally prosperous years ahead of you!   
>  based off [this](http://barbelzoa.tumblr.com/post/101702088065/shitty-high-school-aus-tho-cramming-until-3-in) prompt on tumblr: _Someone wrote I’m cute in the bathroom stall and your notes match the handwriting._   
>  title taken from 월하소년's 'i know you know'. please support the pd101 boys a lot as well!

 

“I guess that’s the end of the meeting today. Great job, guys!”

 

Mark waves at the class representatives as they make their way out the door, bidding their farewells. He scans the room, finding the principal and deputy principal loitering around the side door, deep in their conversation. Guessing he would probably be the last to stay behind, he begins by cleaning up the area, picking up the tissue papers – who knows if they’ve been used or not – rolled up into balls.

 

Taeyong, having been the student council president when he was Mark’s age, had let him into the tips and tricks he needed to know to survive the maze that was high school and to gain enough respect that would make his decisions as president valued. His brother had told him that although it depended on the representatives present each year, for the most part, most, if not all, stay behind to clean up.

 

Mark reconsiders his thoughts when he said he wanted to be the president as a senior student. This year’s student representation council – or SRC, for short – had been filled with the students who were forced to take part in participating in community leadership roles.

 

Although he doesn’t exactly _like_ his board members an awful lot, he thinks it’s possible to run alongside them for a year. It’s just a year left, anyways.

 

“We shall be leaving now. Will you be alright with cleaning up?” The deputy principal asks, an awfully forced smile on her face.

 

“Of course, miss. We’ll be fine. He’s got me,” says a familiar voice that grows closer with each step. A hand rests on the juncture of his shoulder and he doesn’t even need to turn out to know it’s Donghyuck – it’s almost always him.

 

Adding a laugh, the principal leads the deputy principal out with his hand on the curve of her spine. “They’re responsible young adults, they know what to do. Let’s go.”

 

Remember how Mark said he didn’t particularly like his board members? Yeah, no, Donghyuck, the SRC Secretary, is the only one he truly enjoys being around.

 

(If you ever asked a young and naive Mark why he joined the SRC as a rep in the younger grades, he would have no doubt replied with a meek, “ _Donghyuck_.”)

 

It’s something in the way that Donghyuck’s spontaneity has become somewhat predictable for Mark. The usual banters that relax him before addressing the whole school instead of half-hearted pep talks. The creative insults that have lost their bite over time. Or perhaps, it’s just the fact that they’ve accepted they’re soulmates.

 

“What’re you standing around for, dumbass?” Donghyuck drawls, wrapping his hands briefly around Mark’s waist before placing his freezing digits under his shirt.

 

Mark yelps as he jumps away. He regrets every thought of affection he has towards the younger.

 

“Get to work! Chop chop,” Donghyuck snaps his fingers. “The trash won’t pick itself up, honey.”

 

He can’t stop the grin that spreads across his features as he says, “I mean, I’ve always got to pick _you_ up so…”

 

He watches the younger mumble something about the pure disrespect and how he deserved better, anyways, because he was pretty perfect already. Letting Donghyuck amuse himself, Mark wipes down the tables before double-checking the minutes for the meeting.

 

“Oh?” Donghyuck says, “Is the pres suspicious of my work? Am I not trustworthy anymore, hyung?” He bats his eyelashes at Mark, all but sitting on his lap as the trash had somehow been miraculously cleaned in the span of a minute.

 

Glancing up from the sheets of loose paper, Mark flashes a grin. “It’s because I trust you too much, Hyuck.”

 

“Sounds fake but okay.” He runs his index finger across the crossed lines, “These are the ideas _some_ people didn’t want to do. I just crossed them out but you know,” he leans his head against Mark’s chest, “someone’s gonna turn up at the next meeting and say the exact same thing I said and then everyone will be happy. Don’t you just hate the politics that runs here?”

 

Mark sighs quietly, placing an arm loosely around Donghyuck’s waist. “Next time you feel something needs to be implemented, tell me beforehand, yeah?” He says before mumbling quietly, “I’d hate to see you upset, man.”

 

Clutching his chest dramatically, Donghyuck breathes, “Bro.”

 

Offering a soft smile, Mark tickles Donghyuck’s sides, standing up when the other jumps out of his lap and tries to retaliate. He grabs the minutes sheets, handing it over to the younger before waving at the librarian, who was waiting for them to pack up.

 

“What are you waiting for,” Donghyuck teases, threatening to leave before Mark. “My hands?”

 

“As if,” quips Mark, but he finds himself thinking that it wouldn’t be such a bad idea at all.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Hyung,” Mark’s a little distraught with how many texts he’s received from the younger class representatives wanting a change with the school’s lunch menu (“They give out ketchup instead of soy sauce with the sushi and literally everything tastes like ass.”), “help.”

 

“What’s wrong, lobster?” Taeyong pauses before moving towards Mark’s crouched frame in front of his laptop.

 

Letting out a deep sigh, Mark unloads his worries onto his older brother, fumbling occasionally over his words and uses his hands to get his points across, but Taeyong watches on, head nodding sympathetically because he _knows_ – he really does – how hard it must be on Mark. He lets him continue before guiding his head to rest on the nook of Taeyong’s neck, smoothing the younger’s back with soft pats.

 

“What about no ketchup, hmm? They don’t want it or…?” Taeyong trails, mumbling softly to not disturb his brother.

 

“I don’t even know anymore, hyung,” he sighs, exasperated. “They complain now about the ketchup but when the soy sauce rolls in, they’ll argue that they should have the option for the ketchup for the meat rolls.” Scratching his nape, he pulls apart, “You know what’s worse?”

 

Taeyong grins, “Enlighten me.”

 

“Donghyuck says all these great things we could raise to the school, you know, to make them aware of _actual issues_ within the school, like graffiti and vandalism, right?” He awaits Taeyong’s encouraging nod before continuing, “Here’s the thing. Literally _all_ of the reps shoot him down, saying there are other _‘more important’_ things to be considered, and when their silly little problem is finally, I don’t know, _fixed_ , they say exactly what Hyuck said and the rest support them!” He rubs his temple, muttering softly about how upset that makes both him and Donghyuck feel.

 

“You good?” Taeyong leaves a small kiss on the top of Mark’s forehead before ruffling his hair. “Do you agree with Hyuckie’s suggestions?” Seeing a small nod from Mark, he laughs. “There you go, that’s your answer. You stand up for both of you, yeah?”

 

He nudges Mark’s shoulder playfully. “You’re not the president this year for nothing, Mark. You’re more than capable of meeting what the role requires to be filled.”

 

“I know, hyung, but it’s almost as if they’re all just teamed up against Hyuck because he’s so outspoken but I – I don’t know what to do. I try and stand up for him but there’s, like, almost thirty of them and there’s two of us and –” rambles Mark. He buries his head into Taeyong’s warm chest and groans.

 

The last time Taeyong and Mark sat down and unwinded, they came to a conclusion that Mark’s affection towards Donghyuck – which he had previously considered as an overly fond affection akin to a little brother or even just a really close friend – was actually borderline not-so-platonic (which, quite frankly, if Mark was being completely honest, freaked the living daylights out of him). Given the realisation may have come a tad too late according to Taeyong’s standards, Mark still tries to avoid the word vomit that threatens to fall anytime Donghyuck does anything remotely cute, like just smiling.

 

He’s got a thousand and one words about Donghyuck’s voice alone yet when it comes to protecting his voice in front of others, he’s got none. Mark admits he is a really bad friend for Donghyuck. Where Donghyuck hypes him up for even sitting down in front of others, he can’t begin to comprehend why he gets tongue-tied when Donghyuck does anything.

 

(Would it be his whipped brain acting up? Yes, Mark would like to think so, yes.)

 

“Is that it?” Taeyong doesn’t dare to raise his voice above a whisper, gears clicking into place. “You’re afraid he might pick up on your feelings?”

 

The younger simply nods.

 

“Listen,” says Taeyong, “you don’t need to worry about any of that, alright? All you need to do is keep a smile on his face – which you already do so don’t worry about that – and keep one on yours as well. You’ve got me, haven’t you? You’ve got the boys. We’re all supportive and you won’t fuck anything up, okay, little lobster?”

 

Mark sniffles softly and hugs the older.

 

“You know, you’re actually doing pretty well for your third month, Mark. Have I told you about how I went through living hell trying to convince the school to buy a safe to lock the bagpipes in…”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Oh, life is just great, Mark quips to himself as he checks the cleaning roster for the month. This is exactly the shift he wanted to do – how did the executive committee find out?

 

Placed on after-school shifts on Thursdays and Fridays isn’t the end of the world, Mark supposes but he regrets his thoughts as he scans over the next lines.

 

 _Location: H Block toilets_ , _Partners: Lee Donghyuck, Huang Renjun, Lee Jeno, Lee Jaemin_.

 

Great, that’s just great. The maths departments toilets were some of the filthiest and nastiest bathrooms in the entire campus and yet he had to clean it on Thursday and Friday afternoons? Knowing it isn’t morally just to misuse his authority as the student council president, he cracks his knuckles and turns around to a soft groan.

 

“Why are we doing the goddamn H block toilets? I’d rather prefer the E block toilets,” mutters Donghyuck, arms placed on his hips.

 

“At least you’ve got me,” adds Mark, a soft smile gracing his lips. If he can’t keep his feelings on the low, he’s just going to have to incorporate them into their little banters and hope to God that it isn’t obvious to Donghyuck.

 

“I think that’d make things worse, if you ask me,” the younger bites back, a suspicious glint in his eyes. “Anyways, I’ve gotta go get my Chemistry draft back. See ya later, honey,” Donghyuck turns with a small wave and a wink, taking Mark’s already whipped soul along with him.

 

“Alright, see you then.”

 

He watches on as Donghyuck’s frame retreats away and points a group of some very familiar students, who are now almost sprinting, to Mark’s direction.  

 

“Hyung!” Jaemin hollers, leaving a bright grin on Mark’s face. Trust the younger to be so happy, yet Mark can’t wait to see how his eternally optimistic self react to the roster ahead of him. “Donghyuck told us we’re all in the same group this time! It’ll be so fun!”

 

“We haven’t even checked it out yet,” says Renjun. “Donghyuck could be pulling a joke.”

 

(Bless Renjun for always being level-headed in the council, thinks Mark. They’ve only got a couple of months between them but Renjun helps make Mark’s life easier by breaking up disputes during the meeting, which are almost always due to Donghyuck’s rash words.)

 

Mark simply grins, arms folded into his chest. “Go on, check for yourselves.”

 

He lets out a laugh that cracks through his bones when he’s confronted with Jaemin’s appalled face, contorting into expressions Mark didn’t even know the boy could do. It’s echoed with Renjun’s soft pats on Jeno’s back as he groans.

 

“Are you kidding me?!” Jaemin screeches, “Donghyuck screwing with us seems like a better reality than this, oh man.”

 

Offering an empathetic nod, Mark hums. “As much as I love being with you guys, I’d rather not be hanging out at the toilets in H block.”

 

“You know,” Renjun begins, “from next semester onwards, I’ll start suggesting people I hate for the role of class rep.” He smooths the creases on his shirt, before muttering, “I can’t believe I trusted Jeno by joining the council.”

 

Merely giving Renjun one of his brightest eye smiles, Jeno nudges him with his elbow. “You say this now yet you’ll do it again next year for the credit.”

 

“Anywho, we need a plan of attack,” Jaemin pumps his fist and grits his teeth, “if we’re going to come out of this alive. Who’s with me?” He says, hand placed out flat in front of the others for them to do the same. Grinning from ear to ear when they comply and release their hands with a ‘Fighting!’, Jaemin chuckles softly.

 

“I’ll let Hyuckie in on this and we can all meet up later?” Mark offers, hands awkwardly moving around. He’s got to work on that habit of his – considering how many times he’s been graded lower in his oral presentations because of his _excessive gestures_ , as his teachers have called it, Mark thinks he really needs to have fixed it sooner.

 

“Sounds like a plan. See you later, hyung” says Jeno, arms linked with Renjun’s and Jaemin’s as they walk away, making a bet on how many people they can successfully block in the hallway without them getting furious.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Perhaps the only facility that the school doesn’t fund is the toilets situated all around the campus – they’re all somehow trashed beyond repair over the years. The cumulative mess brings Mark’s lunch back as quickly as he stuffed it down every time he walks in.

 

After a year of resilience and struggle, Mark made a pledge to never take a step in the vicinity of the school toilets yet as a _responsible senior_ , who’s simply trying to keep his portfolio as large as possible, he has no say in staying true to himself. But since a man’s gotta do what he has to do, Mark rolls up his sleeve and grabs the bucket and mop from the storeroom hidden next to the sinks and the mirror.

 

He lets out a deep sigh, knowing no one will be there to listen to his angry pants as he mops the floors. Of all days, it had to be the Friday after school shift that the others ditched him on – couldn’t have been Thursday, just _had_ to be Friday, thanks to Mark’s great luck.

 

Sure, having music lessons scheduled is understandable so he lets Jeno, Renjun and Jaemin off the hook but what on earth is Donghyuck doing instead of giving him a hand? Especially when _these damn_ toilets were involved.

 

Mark figures he could continue to whine internally but it wouldn’t help him finish the task at hand, vigorously moving the mop around the sinks. He braces himself as he opens a cubicle door and when greeted with a rather clean toilet, he sighs and continues to mop. He swivels around to clean as much of the surrounding area he could (because quite frankly, who knew what states the other cubicles were in) and freezes when he’s met with a familiar writing on the wall.

 

He curses himself for thinking back to Sunday School lessons and King Belshazzar when seeing the writing on the wall because it certainly didn’t read _ME’NE, ME’NE, TE’KEL,_ and _PAR’SIN_ but instead read _Mark Lee is hella cute_ – _fight me if you disagree_.

 

As much as he appreciated getting complimented, Mark feels quite puzzled as to _why_ someone would declare their opinion of him on a cubicle wall in one of the worst toilets in the campus.

 

It’s frankly even more absurd because he swears he’s seen that handwriting before, the purposeful tilts and curves and the loops are too familiar to be true, he thinks.

 

So he does what Taeyong’s always told him to do – he follows his instincts, grabbing a pen out of his pocket and scribbles a _I think Lee Donghyuck is cuter_ , underneath it.

 

(He convinces himself that he’s just hallucinating and that he just _wants_ the person who wrote it to be Donghyuck – not that it _was_ Donghyuck in the first place.)

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Let me check the minutes.” Mark mumbles, “I need to review last week’s…”

 

Oddly of Donghyuck, he simply hands over the minutes book without a comment.

 

 _Hmm, strange_ , Mark muses. Something must have gone wrong for him to be like this.

 

Ignoring Donghyuck’s behaviour momentarily, Mark moves to flip the book open to confirm his suspicions.

 

Behold, there it lay – the same curves and all – the unmistakable font that could only belong to Donghyuck. It doesn’t come as big of a surprise to him and that baffles him more than the fact that _Lee Donghyuck thought he was cute, oh my gosh, is this real or is this a fantasy?_

 

Alright, so Mark realises that he does, indeed, consider this as a Big Event in Mark’s Timeline™ (which definitely wasn’t something both him and Taeyong were tracking more carefully than their parents, oh no) but once it clicks in, he gapes over to Donghyuck’s questionable gaze.

 

“Are you deaf or what? Is there something truly scandalous written in the minutes that’s rendered the President speechless?” Donghyuck quips, arms wrapped over his chest.

 

Mark doesn’t know what to say – if it were a normal day, when he didn’t know that Donghyuck wasn’t actually being honest when he said he thought Mark was an ugly ass, Mark would have bit back with another remark but because it isn’t a normal day, Mark blinks back.

 

He wants to say everything; _I knew it, you think I’m cute; does that mean you_ might _like me back?; why did you go ahead and write on the toilets and then ditch me when we had to clean it_ together?!

 

But all that comes out is a lousy, “Toilets.”

 

“You need to go?” Donghyuck smiles, “I’ll watch the fort. Don’t want anyone else knowing the scandalous truth.”

 

Gulping, Mark stumbles, “No, no, that’s not it. The toilets at H block.”

 

“What about them?”

 

Mark isn’t sure if it’s just his imagination when he sees the tips of Donghyuck’s ears flushing red but he continues. “On the wall,” he watches as Donghyuck’s eyes fleet around the library, “that was you, wasn’t it?”

 

Seeing Donghyuck bite down on his lips reminded Mark that although he may put up a tough front, he’s still a young boy finding his way through life. “That’s why you didn’t come to clean them.” He looks down at the panic brewing in the younger’s eyes and says softly, “It’s alright, Hyuck-ah. I won’t say anything. Take your time”

 

“Yeah, so what,” comes a small mumble hidden beneath his hands. Donghyuck clears his throat, slowly relaxing his posture, “So what?”

 

Grinning softly down at the picturesque boy, Mark allows himself to be foolish and poke Donghyuck’s nose as his face flushed. “So,” he sits down, eyes meeting Donghyuck’s as he reads the pure turmoil in the younger’s eyes.

 

“I think a lot of things are cute but I don’t think they could even do you justice if I were to compare them to you.”

 

“You weak sap!” Donghyuck kicks Mark’s shin, in retaliation for the anxiety the older induced in him. “This is one of the reasons why I hate you, geez.”

 

“Fight me,” Mark breathes, “I think Lee Donghyuck is definitely cuter.”

 

(There’s a “Pay up, Jeno!” audible in the other aisle along with a “I called it, Renjun.”)

 

“I’ll entertain you just this once but later sometime I will prove that I’m right,” says Donghyuck as he packs his books into his bag. “Are we still up for ice cream after school?”

 

“It’s a date.”

**Author's Note:**

> i haven't proof-read this yet but if you spot some errors, please let me know!


End file.
